And All the Years to Come
by LitLover 101
Summary: Part III edited, now! Requested fic for hwolf. Continuation of Through His Eyes. Seven years later, Stefan and Freya are raising their two children, and trying to live their happily ever after. However, life in Mystic Falls is never quiet for long, and one of Stef's old enemies is having a comeback. Ft. Klaroline. Delena. Bonenzo, etc... OC is for Freya
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**The **__**Vampire **__**Diaries**_**. That would be Warner Brothers, CW, etc. **

**Hello, my lovely readers. I hope you enjoy the fic, and if you haven't already, check out **_**Through **__**His **__**Eyes. **_**On with the show…**

**And All the Years to Come Part I: **

Seven years ago, Stefan Salvatore met Freya Mikaelson under the most unusual of circumstances: his spirit was magically transferred into her brother, Klaus Mikaelson's body, thanks to Hope. Klaus' little girl had found that she did not need to apologize because her baby hijinks led to quite a bit of happiness for her family members. Of course, not everything could be happily ever after every day.

"Stop throwing the oatmeal!" Faith Mikaelson shouted. Her eyes were wide and she glared at her little brother. "Daddy! Make him stop!" Faith pointed a pink polished finger nail at her brother. Her dark blue eyes burned a hole in the giggling four-year-old in question.

Sighing, Stefan turned away from the stove. "Mike, please, your mom's going into work this morning. And Daddy's late with his new article."

"Daddy!" Mike cried before he flung a spoonful of oatmeal at Stefan's face.

"Oh my," Freya's voice filled the air as the oatmeal stilled an inch from Stefan's nose. Her smile made Stefan's undead heart skip a beat. He still could not believe that they'd been married for nine years. Every day that he woke up and caught sight of his wife, he had to wrap his arms around her to make sure she really did exist.

"Oh, Mikael." Freya shook her head at her little boy who sent her a sweet smile. "Look at you." Oatmeal decorated the sailor style t-shirt Stefan had tugged over his son's head this morning. "We're going to be late for school. You don't want to be late, do you?" Freya inquired, placing a finger at the tip of her son's nose and wriggling it as her own nose wrinkled.

"No, Mommy!" Mike replied.

"Can't we just get a new Mikael?" Faith groaned, shoving her oatmeal around in her bowl as she placed a balled fist under the side of her head, her elbow coming down on the table top, and her eyes searching the cooling food for an answer.

"Fae," Freya said, her voice on the edge of scolding. But a gentle hand came down on the top of her daughter's head and she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You'll have plenty of hours in school when you don't have to worry about Mike."

"Fine." Faith groaned. She turned her eyes to Stefan. "Can I go and play before school?"

"Uh…sure." Stefan caught Freya giving him a sceptical look and he shrugged. Being a vampire, who tried to play at being a normal human guy every day always felt kind of strange for him. He wished one day he could be free of his vampirism. However, as long as he lived he knew he could watch over his children.

"Honey, go upstairs and find a clean shirt," Freya said, picking Mike up off his chair and setting him on his feet.

"O-kay!" Mike ran from the room and Freya let out a quiet chuckle. "I would ask how your morning has been, but I think I can see how." Freya made her way over to slip her arms around Stefan's neck.

"Good morning to you, too," Stefan said. He leaned down, kissing his wife and running his hands up and down her back. "Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I did when you and Damon went on that little trip and nearly got killed by that crazed coven leader." Freya eyed Stefan. "You are never leaving with Damon—without me—again." She eyed him sternly and Stefan nodded slowly.

"Yes, Mrs. Salvatore." Stefan watched Freya's eyes begin to glow as he used her name. "Freya Salvatore."

"I have to go to work," Freya murmured as Stefan moved to kiss her neck and she let out a quiet moan.

"Just a couple of minutes in the pantry," Stefan whispered, hands going into her hair before going back down to pick her up.

Freya wrapped her legs around his waist and laughed as he moved to carry her into the pantry. That's when someone coughed. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Klaus," Stefan groaned. In all of these years, Niklaus Mikaelson still had no manners, tact or wiliness to use the perfectly functional doorbell. "What do you want?"

"Freya. It seems that Hope might be getting up to a bit of mischief in her classes and I was hoping my sister and I might have a word or two on the subject." Klaus eyed Freya before he shot Stefan a wicked smile. "And I did so enjoy your fascinating coverage of the Miss Mystic Falls ceremony. Caroline especially found joy in the part in which you said: 'The judges' continued efforts to award the prize of Miss Mystic based on a young woman's physical attributes and ability to practice outmoded, archaic behavior. This leaves our daughter and our sons to worry less about intellectual pursuits which are fulfilling the patriarchal norms set forth centuries ago.'"

Sighing, Stefan ran a hand through his hair. "Yes. I listened to Caroline's voicemail, last night, three times, and I will come and talk to her later today."

"You might wish to allow her a day or so to cool down," Klaus advised. His smile said he found the whole thing rather amusing. "Sister." He moved to leave the room.

Dismounting from Stefan's waist, Freya sighed. "Rain check?"

"Always," Stefan replied. If only this were the only complication in their happy life.

~0~

"Ow!" a voice shouted from inside of the house that Stefan had come to. The cry of pain made Stefan take hold of the doorknob and snap it. He swooshed down the hallway and up the stairs. What he found on the floor of the bedroom from which the sound came made his eyes widen in shock.

"Lamaze is hell, brother," Damon groaned. He sat up and let out a sigh.

"Bloody hell. How did you almost break my hand in your weak little human state?" Enzo demanded. He sat on the floor, right behind Damon, shaking out his hand and sent Stefan a look.

"What is going on in here?" Stefan asked.

Damon pushed himself to his feet. "Wanted to know what this will be like for Lena. Man, it sucks," Damon did not explain how he tried to emulate the labor pains Elena would be experiencing in the next couple of weeks as he stretched his arms over his head.

Enzo got up, too. "Bonnie's potion worked. Never shall I try that one."

"You say before a drinking game with me and Ric," Damon shot Enzo an evil smile.

Enzo shook his head. "He is all yours. I have a class to teach." He strutted out the door.

Stefan still could not believe that Caroline hired Enzo to teach Advanced Anatomy of a Vampire. Just the title of the course made Stefan shiver. Maybe there was a reason for the course…maybe.

Deciding to try to turn his thoughts in another direction, Stefan smiled at his brother. "Looking forward to being a daddy, again?"

"Yup." Damon took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I just wish Lena would cut down on all the hours. We've already got two kids. They seem fine. Happy. But she dives into her work and I have to remind her to take a break once in awhile. It make me wonder…"

"Wonder what?" Stefan folded his arms over his chest.

Damon sighed. "I wonder if she preferred Damon the Vampire. I used to be cool. Now, look at me. I have to work for these abs." He lifted his shirt to show off the same muscles he'd had since he was sixteen. "I want to sleep about ten hours a day and get an average of six, on a good day. We don't have sex nearly as –"

"Okay! Okay!" Stefan held up his hands. "I get the picture." Yes, Stefan and Elena had been over for so long that it seemed like several centuries and Stefan found a love with Freya he never thought was possible, but he did not want to hear about his brother and his ex's sex life.

Dropping his arms to his sides, Stefan sat down beside Damon. "Elena loves you. Otherwise she would have left a long time ago. You know that, Damon. She loves her life with you and the kids."

"Is love enough?" Damon said quietly.

Stefan shrugged. "I think it is."

Nodding, Damon grinned. "Want to go to the Mystic Grill and have a drink for old time's sake?"

"Sure," Stefan said.

~0~

Standing outside what remained of the Mystic Grill, Stefan and Damon just stared. "What in the hell?" Damon demanded in a hiss. "They burned the freakin' Grill? Are you kidding me?"

Surveying the remains of the Grill, Stefan also had bad feelings about what this meant for their quiet, little town. They'd had too much happiness. Now, it looked like someone wanted to put an end to the peace and quiet the townspeople had seen for the last nine years.

~0~

"She raised her pet cat from the grave," Klaus said.

Freya's eyes went wide. "What?"

They were going down the halls of the Mikaelson-Forbes-Salvatore School for the Exceptional and Magically Inclined, or the MFS School for the Exceptional and Magic Arts Consortium. It all depended on who you were talking to: Klaus or Caroline. They'd bickered for over a year about what to officially call the school. Alaric Saltzman had the deciding vote and in the end the official title was the Mikaelson-Forbes-Salvatore school blah, blah, blah because Klaus insisted on his name coming first because of his considerable donation and the Exceptional part was due to his daughter's attendance. And Hope was exceptional and God help the person who argued otherwise.

"Yes, my daughter is learning necromancy from one of your teachers. Any guesses as to which one?" Klaus' sneer made Freya groan.

"Davina." Freya shook her head. "Never fear, brother, I shall talk to her."

"You said she would be gone by the end of the school year—that was three years ago," Klaus snapped. His hands went to his hips. "How much more shall I invest into this school before you rid it of the rash and the unwise."

"You know I do not make the hiring decisions. That would be your wife," Freya reminded Klaus, for the fifth time that month.

"Caroline," Klaus rubbed at his temples. "Yes. I will have to have a word with her. And I suppose you might make sure that Fae stays out of our garden."

"What has she done?" Freya's voice would send a chill up anyone else's spine. Many people learned not to question Freya's parenting or they found themselves hexed.

"Fae's been picking herbs with Elizabeth and Josette. Don't know what they want with them. However, I believe I heard Lizzie mention a little girl named Penelope and I do not relish what spell the girls plan on using their herbs for." Klaus watched Freya's face darken.

"I'll speak with them," Freya said quietly. She did hate having to talk to her daughter when Fae was making friends with other children. So far the only people Fae seemed comfortable with were Hope and Rebekah's adopted daughter, Charlie. A nickname came about: The Mikaelson coven and Freya had encouraged her daughter to play with other children since too many supernatural-s feared the Mikaelsons, no need to make it worse.

A new thought popped into Freya's mind and she found herself smiling. "I believe there might be a solution to your Davina dilemma, brother."

"Do tell." Klaus' attention had moved from their conversation as his hand slid into his back pocket and he removed his cell. His brows came together as her stared at the screen.

Deciding to plunge ahead, Freya continued, "Kol has been rather vocal in his desire to leave the country. Perhaps it is time that you sent him out…as an ambassador for the school. We need more students. And it would help broaden our students' understanding of peoples from other areas of the globe."

"Kol?" Klaus' eyes flicked up from the screen. The dark look on his face told Freya what he thought of her plan before he uttered another word. "You really think that Kol is the right person to be helping us find new enrollees? Shall I send Damon Salvatore out as well? Wait. No. Let me think here… Ah, yes, I believe that sending Hope out at as a representative at the age of twelve would be splendid, don't you?"

Sighing, Freya shook her head. "You could simply say 'No.'" She offered her brother a tight smile before adding. "It would remove Davina from the school. You know that one does not go without the other one by now?"

Shaking his head, Klaus smirked back before returning his attention to his phone's screen. "It seems that the Mystic Grill has been burned to the ground. Wherever will the townsfolk eat out now?"

"What?" Freya felt her stomach clench. "Was anyone hurt?" Her thought turned to her friends who went to the bar and grill frequently.

"It appears that the Grill was closed when the fire started. No one was harmed." By Klaus' tone you would think he felt disappointed at the lack of casualties. Pocketing his phone, Klaus shook his head and they continued down the hallway of the school. "In other news, I have an art class to conduct."

"Art?" Freya felt herself smiling. "Caroline talked you into it then?"

Klaus let out a long, aggrieved sigh. "Someone must be judging my daughter's work. And you know I would not let just any fool criticize her."

"You mean: You're afraid Hope will take it upon herself to send said fool a message? Perhaps something that ended with the fool in a visit to the emergency room?" Freya's tone was light, however she knew the burden that Hope coped with every day.

To be a Mikaelson witch—to be a first-born Mikaelson witch—came with a terrible amount of power. Without the proper tutelage that power could be unleashed on an unsuspecting person. And Freya doubted her niece's desire to harm someone. That did not mean the girl would be able to stop herself.

"Precisely," Klaus expression showed a smile and bright eyes which on anyone else would convey happiness but Freya knew that Klaus buried his fear under a mountain of other emotions.

Nodding, Freya stopped by the gym. "I have to talk to Hayley about something. You and Caroline are coming by for dinner, tonight?"

"Wouldn't want to miss it," Klaus replied with a genuine grin. He turned on his heel and left.

Freya turned her attention on entering the gym. A ball came flying at her face and she stopped it in mid-air. "Sorry!" a small voice called out.

"It's fine." Freya shot Lizzie Saltzman a quick smile.

Lizzie ducked her head and hurried to join her twin. They were in the middle of a game of dodge ball. Perfect timing for Freya to pull Hayley aside and talk. "Hayley," she called out, waving to the physical education trainer and budding expert in the History of Lycanthropy.

"Hey, Freya!" Hayley called back. She moved to meet Freya half-way and smacked a ball that almost hit her side. "Not so hard!" she called to the students. "So glad we don't have any vamps in this age group," she whispered as she stood next to Freya. Her eyes went to the children as the two women took their place by a wall.

"I was thinking that perhaps we should explore sending representatives out of the school. We need to broaden our student body," Freya said quietly. "Don't you think?"

"Is this about funding?" Hayley looked confused, folding her arms over her chest. "Elijah checked the books just the other night and said expenses were covered for the next decade."

"No. It's not that." Freya's gaze went to the children and then returned to Hayley.

"Okay…" Hayley continued to watch Freya. "So, what is it about?"

Freya glanced at the other students. "There are only so many ways in which we can spread the word of the school's existence. There are so many children—children all over the world—who have the talents that our children have. They, too, need a place to feel safe."

"Aren't there other schools like ours around the world?" Hayley still seemed to be struggling with what Freya's plan was.

Before they could continue the discussion, one of the children let out a cry of pain. "Ow! Josie!"

Freya's and Hayley's heads spun and they looked across the gym to take in the sight of one of the young witches holding his arm. He'd fallen to his knees and held his lower arm which still bore a red mark from where Josie had siphoned him.

"I didn't mean to hurt him!" Josie cried. Her shoulders had slumped and she bit her lower lip. "I just wanted to be able to make the ball go faster."

"What have I said about not using magic during these games?" Hayley called out to the students.

"Don't use magic during games! Someone could hurt!" the children called out.

Lizzie folded her arms over her chest. "We were going to win."

"By cheating," Penelope muttered loud enough for most of the other students to hear and to begin to giggle. Lizzie shot Penelope a death stare and Josie's lower lip wobbled.

Shaking her head, Freya called out to Josie. "Come with me, young lady. We're going to go have a talk with your father." Josie shot her twin a panicked look before she took faltering steps toward Freya. They would never learn to control their powers if they were never told not to do things.

~0~

Klaus Mikaelson frowned as he walked toward the charred wreck that used to be the Mystic Grill. He had a few fond memories of drinking with Caroline or playing pool with Kol here. He would be the last one to admit to anyone that he cared for the place but he did, in his own way.

With a sigh, Klaus turned to Stefan. "I don't believe it was supernatural, do you?"

"Why would the supernatural want to burn down the Grill?" Damon inquired. He pushed off the side of his car. "But if we have a fire bug in town, we need to find the jackass before one of us wakes up on fire." His eyes went to Stefan. "Not that one of us has to worry about little things like that." His eyes moved to Klaus.

Klaus sneered back. "Yes, Damon. I do not think of things like my wife or my daughter being burnt to a crisp."

Damon's mouth quirked upward in the corner. "Yup. We've all got reason to figure out who did it, don't we?"

"Isn't that what this town has a sheriff for?" Klaus inquired with a mocking air. He looked at the Salvatore brothers who glanced at each other. "I do have a school to run."

"Thought that was Ric's purview," Damon retorted.

"Yes. It is," Klaus shrugged. "And when he does not make mistakes I do not have to handle I do not worry about his choices."

"Is he making mistakes?" Stefan's voice came out a little louder than necessary. When it came to the welfare of his children; Stefan was nothing if not diligent.

"Not today." Klaus enjoyed causing his old mate to roll his eyes. "Perhaps tomorrow."

Damon let out a sarcastic laugh. "Sure, Klaus."

Klaus pulled out his phone. "Ah. It is time for my art class to begin. I will you see at dinner, Stefan. Damon, send Elena my regards."

"Never," Damon muttered. "Enjoy your class, Picasso."

~0~

"Now, class, if I can direct your attention to this bowl of fruit," Klaus stood at the front of a class room and swept his gaze over the young students. "The bowl of fruit that your young eyes see before you may be transformed into many shapes. Do not work to simply emulate reality. As supernatural creatures, we bend the limitations of perceived reality every single day. See, the fruit as it takes shape for your own mind."

An apple rose from the basket and floated across the room before it landed in Faith Salvatore's open hand. She giggled and took a bite of it. "Reality or supernatural?" she questioned her fellow students who also began to laugh. Given the girl's tendency toward being painfully shy, Klaus did not have the heart to reprimand her for eating their model.

"That, class, is how our art changes shape in the literal manner. Shall we see how you might show us a figurative rendering?" Klaus' eyes swept over the class.

Making his way around the room, Klaus found a young boy who had begun to make a sketch of an apple pie. "May I?" Klaus inquired of the boy who started when Klaus leaned over him.

"Su-sure." The boy moved a little to the right so Klaus could take the sketch. Taking hold of the sketch, Klaus turned it to show the other students. "This is an example of showing how our art can change what the object we see into something that our mind desires, such as a pie." He grinned and handed the portrait of a pie to the young man.

Phone going off, Klaus took it out of his pocket and he glanced at the screen. Something in his chest stopped beating for a fraction of a moment. "Excuse me, class. I must go into the hallway. Continue with your work."

Going into the hallway, Klaus tried to keep his voice down. "What do you mean: It is supernatural?" He snapped into the phone.

"According to the fire department there is no sign of a gas leak. A propane spill. A match. There's nothing natural about this fire," Matt Donovan said over the phone.

"Bloody hell." Klaus felt annoyed.

"I've also got some reports of massive quantities of blood disappearing at local hospitals. So, I'm thinking we've got something that's more on your side than mine. You might want to clean it up, before I do." Matt's tone made Klaus clench his phone tighter in his curled fist. Klaus Mikaelson had never responded well to threats.

"Do not worry, Sheriff. I'm sure that I can assemble a team to find a culprit," Klaus said. He hung up the phone without another word. Gritting his teeth, Klaus reminded himself that he needed to remain calm for the children's sake. Going back into the class, he clapped his hands together. "Who would like to present their masterpiece?"

Several hands went up and Klaus smiled at them, thinking all the while about what he would do to the individual who disturbed his new life. His thoughts involved peeling apples and the color red, but were nothing he planned to show the children.

~0~

"Who would want massive quantities of blood?" Caroline asked. She sat across the table from Stefan and Freya as Klaus uncorked a bottle of wine.

"A vampire," Freya ventured. "Someone newly-turned."

"Or someone not-so-newly," Stefan added. He and Freya looked at each other, communicating in the secret language of their own.

"Or…" Caroline looked to Klaus.

"Or someone who feeds on blood," Klaus said. His thoughts turned dark. "I suspect we might feel it necessary to begin some literal digging around town." He handed a glass of wine to Caroline, another to Freya and the last one to Stefan. "What do you say, Ripper?"

"Don't call me that." Stefan shot Klaus a dark look.

Grinning, Klaus took a seat. He did miss finding reasons for them to hang out. What better reason than solving the case of the creature who burned the Mystic Grill to the ground?

~0~

"Dad?" Hope came into Klaus' study. "I think there's something wrong."

"What is it?" Klaus replied.

"Faith and Charlie told me they met a man yesterday." Hope's eyes went to the carpet and then up to her father's face. "They said he looked like Uncle Stefan. But that's not possible, is it?"

And then the last puzzle piece moved. Silas. Klaus held out his arms and gripped his daughter tight. Tonight, the whole town should hold those they loved a little tighter. A nightmare had come to town.

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. **

**Peace,**

**-J**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, my lovely readers. This part was meant to be written, and posted, months ago. I do apologize for the wait and hope you're all safe. On with the show…**

**All the Years to Come: Part II:**

Little girls. Little witches left unattended. What kinds of mischief can child witches get up to? Raising the dead it seemed. His child-not even a teenager and working that dark art of necromancy. Klaus Mikaelson stood in the dark kitchen of his home. His fingers sank deeply into the skin of his temples while horrific images of what could be to come played put behind his closed eyelids. They could evacuate the entire town, but it would not be enough. Silas was far too strong. Even Klaus had felt unsure as to how to beat his adversary, the first time they met.

Opening his eyes, Klaus looked toward the ceiling through narrow eyes. His child lay in her bed, sleeping, peacefully; he hoped. His wife, Caroline, was also tucked away, in the safety of their bed while Klaus prowler about the first floor, like the restless spirit he felt like.

Klaus found himself drumming his fingers on the kitchen counter. He could simply pack Hope's and Caroline's bags and have them half 'way 'round the bloody world by first light tomorrow morning. Leave it to the remaining Mystic Falls Gang to stop Silas' new reign of terror. However, there were a few, slight problems here... Josie and Lizzie were staying with Alaric tonight, and Caroline would not, willingly, leave her girls behind, especially with the likes of Silas roaming about. Secondly, she would refuse to abandon their mates. She would choose to play the role of the hero. Brave, little fool that she could be, he thought, fondly, with a smirk.

Reaching into his pocket, Klaus pulled out his cell and called Rebekah. At first thee rang, and rang, and then a snarl was emitted into the phone: "Hello, Nik, why the blasted hell are you calling me at... 2:43 in the morning for?"

A smile appeared on Klaus' face as he heard his beloved sister grumbling to Marcel about bad timing. "Sorry to interrupt...what it is I interrupted..."

Rebekah let out a low hiss. "You didn't interrupt anything. Not you! Him!"

Marcel groaned in the background. "I thought he got his own life and wouldn't be pulling this crap anymore."

"It's urgent, Marcellus." Klaus heard Marcel let out a low growl. He still hated being called that. "Don't fret. Go back to sleep. My business is with Bekah anyhow."

Another groan from Marcel, and then the sound of the bed shifting, a door sliding open and closed. Rebekah sighed, "What is it, brother?" She was still grumpy.

Klaus paused. "It seems our children have unearthed something dreadful-"

"One of your old artworks?" Rebekah inquired.

Not feeling amused, Klaus cut to the point, "An old enemy."

"Who?" Now it was Bekah's turn to be unnerved. "And how, pray tell?"

"The who and the how are linked, sister," Klaus retorted. "The who being: Silas, and the how being his giving an after-school tutorial on the fine art of necromancy."

"Dear God!" A sharp inhale from Rebekah's end of the phone echoed Klaus' nervousness. "What the bloody hell are we going to do, Nik?"

Klaus Mikaelson always had a plan, but, this instance was the exception to the rule. To plan, he must think, but if thought too far ahead Silas would easily pry Klaus' plans from his mind. All of Klaus' plans would have to be driven by instinct.

"I'm going upstairs. I use tell Marcel. Book a flight. Gather Charlie up. She'll hate leaving home. She we warn Kol? He'll lose his bloody mind... Have you told Elijah, and Hayley? You can't just take Hope. Hayley will freak. What of Stefan and Freya? Silas went after Stefan before, no doubt, he's high on Silas' kill list. And Damon and Elena. They're human now-" Rebekah might have continued to list every single person they knew in Mystic Falls if Klaus did not stop her.

"Re-be-kah!" Rebekah's seemingly ceaseless chatter abruptly stopped.

"What?" she demanded.

"We have no idea where the bloody hell Silas is, and what he might know, or, more importantly, what he does not. The less information we voluntarily give him, the better. And the moment we begin to panic; he will be aware of our knowing he has returned. We must be careful." Pausing, Klaus nodded. "We'll discuss the new development tomorrow, at the school." Now, Klaus felt better.

In the light of day, they would meet and discuss how to send the once-immortal witch back to hell.

"Right. Good night, Nik." The line went dead and Klaus felt the urge to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day.

Moving to leave the kitchen, Klaus heard something scratch the window. Whirling on his heel, Klaus peered through the unmarked window. Narrowing his eyes, Klaus perked his ears. Nothing. A tree branch.

But there were no trees that were close enough to their house to reach the window. Stalking over to the side door, Klaus opened it. Once outside he heard the sound of leaves underfoot. "Who's there?" he snarled.

No one appeared. "I know someone is out here. You've chosen the wrong house to stalk tonight," he earned the intruder.

Another pair of feet, scurrying along, sent Klaus around the back of the house. He peered into the darkness, still unable to find the culprit.

Suddenly a loud screeching-near his left foot-made Klaus look down to find a cat. It bared its teeth at him before taking off. A second cat appeared, to pursue the first. This scenario left Klaus feeling foolish. Just like a mortal, he'd been startled by a pair of mating felines. Well, this was one story that would not be passed on, no matter how drunk he became.

Chuckling, Klaus returned to the confines of his home. No more than had he closed the door than he felt something was off. Someone had turned the air-conditioning on and his breath was coming out in small, frigid puffs. Making his way over to the apparatus' control panel, he turned it off. Then he made his way upstairs, and down the hall. Hope's door was closed, but Klaus' and Caroline's was not.

A faint stream of light came from the bedroom. Taking a slow step closer, Klaus edged the door open with his foot. He felt ready for anything. Anything but the sight of his empty bed. "Caroline?" Klaus called out.

"Daddy?" Hope's sudden appearance by his side made Klaus ' eyes widen. His own child had startled him. "Daddy, something is wrong with Caroline. She locked herself in the bathroom and won't come out."

Klaus' eyes went to the closed bathroom door. That was where the light was coming from. He could hear Caroline quiet whimpering. She was talking to herself...or someone else... Moving to the door, Klaus could smell fresh blood. And not little bit.

Turning back, and going to his daughter, Klaus knelt down and gripped her shoulders." Hope, listen to me."

"Okay." Hope nodded.

"Go. And hide. Wait until I make sure Caroline is alright." Hope nodded and left.

Squaring his shoulders, Klaus went to the door. "Caroline, love cam you hear me?" No response. "Caroline?" Taking hold of the knob, Klaus found it locked. He twisted his wrist and it snapped under his grip, the knob falling to the floor as the door slid open to reveal a gut-wrenching tableau: Caroline sat beside the bathtub, slicing into her wrists with a razorblade.

Darting over, Klaus sank to his knees. "Caroline! Caroline, stop this madness!" Hissing as he dug the blade from his wife's bloodied and mangled fingers, he cut himself before flinging the blade away in disgust. Taking hold of Caroline's face, Klaus forced her to look at him. "Caroline!"

"They're gone. They're gone." Caroline gasped out choking sobs, shaking, and rocking back and forth. "They're all gone!"

Stroking Caroline's sweat-damp hair out of her face, Klaus tried to understand. "What are you talon about?"

"They're gone, Nik!" Caroline sobbed. "The girls. He came. And he took all of our girls. Because I am weak! Because I couldn't fight him! And now he's going to kill them!" Trembling, Caroline begin to dig her fingernails into he cuts, opening them up again. "I'm a bad person. I'm a bad mom. I am a terrible person. My babies are DEAD! And it's aaalllllll myyyyy faaauuuullllllttttt!" Caroline's head turned and she spotted the blade. Diving into the bathtub after it, she almost got it when Klaus knocked it into the sink Wichita a slap of his hand. "I need that! I need to be with the girls! They need me!" Caroline fought Klaus, trying to get to the sink.

"Love, I don't want to hurt you!" Klaus' words came out from between his teeth. His fingers dug into his wife's shoulders. He had hurt her enough, in the past, and did not relish the thought of doing so again. But he would; if she gave him no other choice.

Eyes darkening, Caroline's fangs slid out. "You can't stop me! No one can stop me from being with my kids!" With a roar, Caroline head-butted Klaus.

Klaus let out a groan of pain. He felt blood pouring out of his mouth from where he had bit into his tongue. His body had fallen just inside the doorway. His eyes found Caroline darting out of the bathtub and towards the sink. "I don't think so, sweetheart."

Springing to his feet, Klaus' foot went up, and into Caroline's midsection. She cried out in pain as she flew back into the bathtub. Her head connected with the tile and her body went limp. Klaus felt his shoulders rise and fall. What would he do if she came to with the same suicidal intentions? He could continue to render her unconscious until Silas was gone. Obviously, this was a ploy, a stunt, devised to prevent Klaus, or Caroline, from getting in Silas' way.

On cue, s soft chuckle sounded from behind Klaus. Turning, Klaus found Hope, arms folded over her chest, an eerily familiar smirk on her face. "Looks like what they say is true: You really do always hurt the ones you love." Shaking her head, Hope peered around Klaus, "Wow, Daddy, I never took you for a wife beater! Should I call the cops? Can't stay in a house like this, now, can I?"

"Silas!" Klaus growled. His hands curled into fists. "Up to your old tricks?"

"Well, I heard reboots are all the rage these days." Silas shrugged. "Like my new look?" He twirled in a circle and Klaus felt sick. "Makes it harder to reach the top shelf, but you when you're a kid, people are soooo helpful."

"Where is my daughter?" Klaus hissed out, taking a step toward Silas.

"Didn't you hear Care Bear-before you sent her to Sleepy Town?" Silas-Hope's eyes flashed with malice. "You're little tri-brid's babel is losing up daisies with the other little fools. Little Fae. Charlie. Josie. Lizzie. They were easy. And not nearly as fun as picking off the old ones will be. One by one. You. All. Fall. Down," Silas sing-songed and then cocked his head, grinning. "Looks like Mama Bear is ready for Round Two. As much as I hate to miss this, I have other things to attend to. I will see you later. Send hell my lack of regrets." With a finger-wave, Silas disappeared.

Returning his attention to the bathtub, Klaus waited for Caroline to attack, again. She blinked before finding Klaus. "What's going on? Why am I covered in blood? Why does my head hurt?" Her hand went to the back of her head. "Ouch!"

"Caroline!" Klaus sped over knelt in front of her.

"Yeah?" Caroline frowned and placed her hand on his chin. "You're bleeding, too. Were we attacked? I don't remember anything." Moving to stand, her hand went forward, to grab Klaus as a wave of dizziness true to claim her.

"You don't remember anything, at all?" Klaus questioned Caroline.

Caroline shook her head and the she said, "I think..." Her brows furrowed together. "Alaric called... He said... He said..." Her bottom lip began to wobble.

Grabbing Caroline's face, Klaus kissed her. After a moment, he pulled back. "Caroline, you have to listen to me, sweetheart. That was not Alaric Saltzman. That was SILAS!"

Expression freezing, Caroline looked like she might be going into shock. With a shake of her head, she let out a mirth less laugh. "Klaus, that is not funny. Silas is gone."

"Hope, Fae, Charlie, Lizzie and Jo, the girls, they brought him back. He manipulated them into it. Told them he was related to Stefan. Gained their trust." Pausing, Klaus refocused, "He got into your head, again, convinced you the girls were -"

"Dead," Caroline finished. "I remember now." Shaking her head, tears ran down her cheeks. "I felt so much despair. And so worthless..."

"But it's not true. He lied!" Klaus swore.

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked, fearful. "Until I can hold them; I won't be."

"You're right. Clean up and change. I'll go and get Hope." Klaus strode out of the bathroom and through the bedroom. He stopped outside his daughter's room. Tapping on the door with his knuckles, he waited for an answer.

Hope did not reply, which was not shocking; she'd inherited his ability to sleep like the dead.

"Hope!" Again, no answer. After Caroline, Klaus would not be wasting time. He rammed his shoulder into the door and it fell to the floor. Flicking the light switch, he did not find a frightened child with bedhead. He found no one at all. Stepping into the room, Klaus used his enhanced hearing. His head spun toward the closet. A soft humming came from that direction.

Stalking over to the closet, Klaus took a deep breath before opening the door. Pushing the clothes aside, he found Hope. Her knees were pressed to her chest, and she was humming to herself, just like Klaus had taught a young Marcel to do when things were too scary.

Bending down, Klaus placed a hand on his child's knee. She tensed under his touch and he gulped. This would not be easy. "Hope?"

Hope shook her head. "He's not Daddy! He's not here! He can't hurt you!" she chanted between her teeth.

"Hope! It's me! Truly." Klaus waited.

Finally, Hope open her wide eyes. "Daddy?" Nodding, Klaus opened his arms and Hope threw herself at him. "He was here Daddy! Silas! He was here! I think he hurt Caroline. And I know I'm supposed to be brave and I should have helped her, but he scares me, Daddy. So, I hid. I'm so, so sorry!" Crying, Hope buried her face in Klaus' shirt.

"Hey, Hope. It's okay. I'm okay." Peering over his shoulder, Klaus found Caroline. She'd changed into a clean top and a a pair of jeans. There was no sign of the violence that took place not so long ago. "Come here." Caroline held out her arms and Klaus moved so that Hope could go to her step-mother. Placing her hands on Hope's head, Caroline shot Klaus a warm look. "We're all okay."

"Yes. We are. And, now, we are going to Mr. Saltzman's, to make sure that that the twins are well, too." Gesturing toward the bedroom door, Klaus dis not worry about Hope changing. They would find the Saltzman twins safe in their beds and return home to tuck Hope into her own. Klaus would draw comfort romance sitting on the floor and guarding his child while she slept.

Together, the family went down the dark hallway and to the stairs. Klaus held into Hope's hand as Caroline led the way to the front door. She opened it and nothing came shooting out of the darkness at them. Making their way to the car, Klaus felt reasonably better once Caroline started the car and they headed off, toward the Saltzman.' For some reason, he no longer felt safe in his own home.

Stopping outside of the front door, Caroline rang the doorbell. Her hands twitched at her sides. Her feet bounced as they waited and she rang the bell, again. Klaus watched Caroline's agitation growing. When she reached out, to hit the doorbell, a third time, he caught her hand, and held it, giving her a long look.

A minute later, heavy footfalls could be heard inside the house. Alaric muttered to himself about late night visitors. "He's coming," Hope announced, sending Caroline a happy look.

Then the door opened. "Caroline?" Alaric looked like he'd slept as well as Klaus had been. "What's going on?" His eyes moved from the blonde to Klaus and then to Hope. "Isn't it a little late?"

"Can I see the girls?" Caroline asked, still jittery, like she'd drunk ten espresso shots.

"Sure." Alaric moved out of the way. Stepping outside, Alaric looked at Klaus. "Is there something going on?"

Hope looked at Klaus, and then at her headmaster, but she did not utter a word. Alaric looked down at her like she might. "Hope?"

"Nothing that I care to discuss with you tonight. Perhaps during a meeting. At the school. Tomorrow." Klaus watched the former high school teacher take in his suggestion.

"Right. Okay." Alaric ran a hand through his hair and yawned. "I'll try to remember that."

Just as Klaus thought of a witty rejoinder; Caroline came out. "Everything well?" Brows rising, Klaus kept his eyes on his wife while Saltzman glowered.

"Yup," Caroline replied. "Everyone ready to go home?"

"Yes!" Hope cried, with a little too much spirit for someone who should be going back to bed, soon.

"See you all tomorrow." Alaric, too, looked, rather more aware than he had been when he first answered the door.

"Bright and early," Caroline added, chirpily, with a wave before leading Hope back to the car.

"Klaus!" Alaric called.

Klaus paused and looked at Alaric. "Yes?"

"What the hell is going on? And don't bullshit me!" The headmaster folded his arms over his chest and waited.

Leaning closer to the body he once borrowed, Klaus waved for Alaric to lean closer. "The less you know now, the less of a target you make. Trust me, mate, everything will be clearer in the morning." Without another word, Klaus joined Caroline in their car. Alaric looked grim as they drove away, but that could not be helped.

Returning to their home: Klaus found it was 4:25 in the morning. It felt as if a full day had passed. Parts of him ached to rest, but he knew he must stay vigilant, with Silas out and about.

"Good night." Hope said, closing her eyes. And soon she was fast asleep.

Sitting down by the window, Klaus closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopens them, he found Caroline sitting beside him. "Hi," she whispered, lifting her head to look at Hope. The girl still a lumbered. "Coffee?" Caroline held a steaming cup between her hands.

"Thank you." Klaus took the proffered cup and took a long sip of the bitter brew. He would have preferred it with a dram of whiskey, but this would do the job of keeping him awake. Which was ideal, given the circumstances.

"Couldn't sleep?" Klaus watched Caroline who shook her blonde curls. He placed an arm around her shoulders. "I can imagine why."

Resting his head against Caroline's, Klaus tried to remain calm when something began to other him. Something Rebekah said... He targeted Stefan... Stefan was Silas' doppelgänger. Faith helped with the ritual to raise Silas. And Freya was a very powerful Witch who could help put him back in the ground...

Springing to his feet, Klaus headed for the hallway. He could sense Caroline, right behind him. The sound of Hope's door clicking shut confirmed his suspicion. "What's going in?" Caroline hissed.

"I've spent so much time playing at being the bloody 'hero;' I did not see the obvious!" Growling, Klaus felt the desire to destroy something, or someone. However, his sleeping child made him calm himself.

"Klaus, talk to me!" Caroline cried.

"Silas. His attack on us. I was correct. He was using a tactical maneuver." Shaking his head, Klaus' thoughts could no longer be confined. "If my theory is correct, his ultimate target has no idea he is coming."

"Who?" Then Caroline's eyes widened. "He's after Stefan, again, isn't he?"

"Most likely, and anyone else he deems capable of sending him back to hell." It did not take long for Caroline to follow his logic.

"A powerful witch...close to Stefan...Freya! Oh, no!" Caroline's eyes widened.

"I'm calling her now!" Klaus removed his phone from his pocket and went downstairs. He hoped was not too late as the line began to ring...

A hand shook Freya's shoulder, blinking into wakefulness; Freya found her husband's green eyes burning into hers. Ordinarily Freya would not have minded Stefan staring at her with such intensity, but his hand was clutching her shoulder to the point of discomfort.

"Freya!" Stefan's voice held s strain of worry which made Freya sit up, instantly.

"What's wrong?" Her first thoughts were of the children.

"Don't panic." Stefan moved around the bed and toward the door. He seems to be listening for something, or someone. Freya shoved the bedcover off and threw her legs over the side of the bed. Stefan turned at her approach. "Get s some things. Pack a bag. I'll get the kids."

"Alright." Freya nodded. She had learned to trust Stefan Salvatore with her life. If he told her they needed to go; she would go.

Marching over to the dresser, Freya wished she knew where they were going. Grabbing random tops and tossing them on the bed, she made short work of grabbing underwear and jeans and tossing them with the other things. Turning away, she went to the closet and took out a duffle from the back. She returned to the bed and began to stuff clothes inside. Shoes. She needed shoes. She jerked her night top off and tossed it aside, jerking a tank top and jeans on before jamming her bare feet into a pair of sneakers. She could buy what she needed later.

On cue, Stefan re-entered the room. "The kids are getting ready. I booked a plane on-line." He made his way over to the bed and picked up her bag. "Are you ready?"

"Stefan?" Freya called, unable to help herself. "What's going on?"

"Do you trust me?" Stefan dropped the bag and came over to place his hands on either side of her face, peering into her eyes.

"Yes," Freya said although something felt off. The moment he touched her... "Stefan?"

"Yeah?" Stefan looked up, and, again, Freya felt something. She could not put her finger in what it was, exactly, but something was not right.

About to say something, Freya stopped when Mikey came in the room. "Mommy!" he cried, with a huge smile, "Daddy says we're going on an adventure!" Her son's eyes were sparkling with glee. He should still be in bed. When was the last time he'd been up this late?

"Freya?" Stefan's voice urged her back, into the here-and-now.

"Yes." Making her way over to their son; she smiled back. "Yes.

We are going on an adventure. And Daddy is going to tell Mommy 'Why,' very soon."

"Mom, what do I pack?" Faith leaned in the doorway

"Whatever you want. Just pack light. We can buy whatever you need," Stefan said.

Fae lit up. "Really?" She giggled. "Charlie and Hope are going to be so jealous!" She hurried away.

"Mike, help your sister," Freya said.

Once Mike was gone, Freya level a look at Stefan. "What is going on?" she demanded, no longer willing to wait.

"Silas," Stefan said, quietly, folding his arms over his chest. "Klaus called. And he told me who's the new-or in this case: old-Big Bad. It's Silas."

"You're doppelgänger." Freya felt her heart sink. From everything that Stefan had told her, Silas was virtually un-killable. However, everyone had a weakness. And Silas had been defeated before. He could be, again.

"Why are we running? He'll be coming for your brother, Elena, Bonnie, and Niklaus. We need to stay. We need to fight." Freya crossed her arms over her chest.

"Klaus thinks he already knows who Silas is targeting next." Stefan paused: "You."

"Me?" Freya scoffed. "I don't even know him."

"Silas goes after those with power. Anyone who could help go stop him. And you may not have met him, but he's telepathic. So he is aware of you, and what you can do to him." Crossing the room, Stefan laid his hands on Freya's shoulders. "I cannot, and I will not, let him hurt you."

Nodding, Freya felt Stefan's logic as much as she heard his words. A new sense of urgency filled her. "You're right. We should go. We can lead Silas away, allowing the others to work on a plan to stop him."

Stefan smiled. "This way, you, and the kids, will be thousands of miles away."

Without any more worries, Freya left their bedroom. Stefan was right behind her. "All set?" she called to the children as cheerfully as she could.

"Yes!" they cheered, coming out of their rooms with their packed bags. Fae led the way, down the stairs, and to the front door. Outside, the sun had not appeared yet. Other children were tucked away in their beds. For a moment, Freya felt apprehensive. How could she uproot her children from everything, and everyone, they loved?

Standing, frozen, by the door, Freya found Stefan's hand on her shoulder, again. "They'll be fine. But we need to hurry up. The flight is arriving in an hour."

Looking at the neighborhood, Freya took s moment to say "Good-bye," to her home, the one she hoped to grow old in. Then she strode over to their car and took her seat. They would be back. Soon...

"Mom, can I get a snack!" Mike cried.

"Mom, can we visit the bookshop?" Fae tried to tug her mother in that direction.

"Sorry, kids," Stefan herded the children toward the check-in counter. "We need to go."

"But, Dad!" the children cried.

"This is important," Freya said, digging out passports.

Soon, they are checked in and waiting on their flight "I should call my siblings," Freya said, removing her cell from her bag. "Maybe later," Stefan said, placing a hand on her knee. "The flight is in."

Freya looked up as the intercom announced their flight. "After we land," she murmured.

Taking Fae and Mike by the hands, she led them toward the line. Handing over their tickets, Freya felt relieved to be buckling Mike into his seat and to be taking her own. Stefan shot her a smile as she sat down. "Feeling okay?"

"Yes," Freya said as she buckled up.

"Good." Stefan reclined in his seat, folding his arms behind his head. He did not bother to buckle his belt. Humming a soft tune, he opened his eyes to look at Freya. "Got to go to the bathroom. Be right back." He paused to kiss her on the cheek, and, again, Freya's instincts went into high alert. Something was not right.

"Stefan?" Freya called after his departing back. He did not turn back. Unbuckling her belt, Freya moved to get up when a flight attendant stopped her. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we are about to take off. You need to sit back down." Freya took her seat, with no intention of staying put.

Thunder cracked the sky, but the plane took off anyway. Unbuckling her belt, Freya got to her feet. She glanced at the lids. They were watching a movie on Ate fan's phone. Continuing down the aisle, Freya stopped outside the bathroom door.

_**Occupied**_, it read.

Tapping on the door, Freya called, "Stefan?" Nothing. "Stefan?"

A large man answered the door and looked her over. "Don't know a Stefan, but I can be him."

Freya groaned in disgust and walked away. "Ma'am," the flight attendant from before called to her. "We're hitting some turbulence. Please, re-take you seat."

Before Freya could mention Stefan's disappearance, the plane jerked, and Freya slammed into the seat to her right. Shaking, she tried to return to her children when the plane pitched forward. She screamed, flying through the air, and then darkness...

Waking up, Freya found herself in water. "Faith? Mike? Stefan?" she screamed. Everywhere she turned pieces of burning metal and bodies floated. "Fae! Ste-fan!" Gulping air before crying out: "Mikael!"

Sobbing, Freya dove under the water. More bodies. So many poor people. And not one of them her people.

Coming back up, Freya dove down, again. She blinked in the dark water as thunder clapped overhead. Where were they?

Then a hand clasped around her ankle. It began to pull her down, down, down. Opening her mouth, to chant; Freya found her lungs filling with salt water.

Finally, she came face-to-face with the hand's owner. Freya's heart broke. Mathias. Her lover. His hands cupped her face and he pulled her into a kiss.

Crying, Freya pulled back and shook her head. Mathias pointed downward. A soft cry came from below. The cry sounded, louder and louder. And then Freya saw him. She'd never held him. Never known his smell. But she knew he was hers. Her baby. Hers, and Mathias.' And they were together, again. Mathias laid her child in her arms and all other thoughts drifted away...

**TBC…**

**I do apologize for any weird grammar. My computer broke down and I had to re-write this part on my phone. **

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. **

**-J**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, my lovely readers. We're finally at the end of this tale. Sorry about the wait but I hope you like it! On with the show...**

**All the Years to Come:** **Part III**

Heart pounding in her chest, Caroline Mikaelson stood frozen, staring at the prone body of Freya Salvatore who laid on the floor of her own living room. Not dead, but also not quite belonging to their world either. Caroline could still feel the lingering desire to run a razorblade along her own wrists. The feeling left her shaken. Trying to think positive thoughts, Caroline concentrated on what they still had. They had Bonnie who fought Silas and defeated him, twice. The kids were okay. Still, Caroline's eyes trailed down to her best friend, Stefan Salvatore, and she felt a lump in her throat at the sight of him clutching his wife's hand. Just the thought of Klaus in this state caused her heart to stop for a moment. Blinking rapidly, she thought: If Silas could do this to Freya, what would he do to the rest of their group?

Shaking away the terrifying thought, Caroline turned to Klaus. "I have to check on the school."

Klaus nodded. He cupped her face and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Be careful." He gave her a meaningful look and she nodded back with a quick smile.

Turning, Caroline strode to the door with purpose. Outside, she found the sun shining brightly and cheerfully, mocking the darkness inside Stefan and Freya's home. Caroline slid her key into her ignition and backed out of the driveway, finding solace in the mundane day-to-day activity of driving to the school. She looked to her right and left, frowning at the lack of sights and sounds surrounding her. No one had turned their lights on. Cars were still parked in driveways. No one was mowing a lawn or walking a dog.

Caroline swallowed down her unease and turned to stare at the road ahead. She would be at the school in approximately ten minutes. She just needed to get to her babies, Hope Mikaelson, and all of the other children who were in her care. Once she knew they were safe, she would feel one hundred percent better.

Five minutes from the school a baseball came flying-from seemingly nowhere-headed straight for Caroline's windshield. With a cry of shock, Caroline jerked the wheel in a sharp right turn, sending her car careening into the left lane. Panting, she thanked whatever, or whoever, the reason was for the entire town to take an impromptu snow day. However, her gratitude did not last long.

The sounds of squealing tires came from behind her vehicle and Caroline glanced in her rear view mirror to find the U. S. mail service was still delivering, and today, their carrier wanted to deliver a subscription of Death By Mail Truck Daily. Thankfully, mail trucks could not go from zero to sixty in the thirty seconds. But the sports car Klaus gave her for her birthday could go from zero to a hundred in ten.

Slamming her foot on the gas pedal, Caroline felt the car fly beneath her. Her eyes flicked to the mirror and she exhaled. "Can't get my copy of Vogue in the right now, Mr. Sanders, and you can't catch me either!" Her inner sixteen - year-old cheered for her victory. Her nearly thirty-year-old vampire self felt freaked out at the sight of a mob at the gates of her school.

Caroline's jaw clenched and her inner don't-fuck-with-me headmaster came out to play. She eased up on the gas pedal and slowed to a stop before pausing with her door open, and she got out of the car. Approaching the crowd, she found that all the humans who were not mowing their lawns and getting their kids ready for school were at her gates. And they were armed.

The local pharmacist had apparently lost her mind. "Mrs. Lilien!" Caroline cried, stalking over to the shorter blond. The woman stood just outside the gate, with a rocket launcher and was aiming it at the gate.

The woman did not respond. Her finger went to the trigger. "Mrs. Lilien!" Caroline shouted. "Excuse me! Pardon me!" Caroline said, forcing her way through the crowd. Stopping behind the pill dispenser, she tapped the woman on the shoulder.

Finally, Vera Lilien turned a glazed-eyed look on Caroline. Caroline frowned and wondered if the woman had been sampling her products. "What are you doing?"

Blinking, Mrs. Lilien shook her head as if to clear it. Then she offered Caroline that wide, fake smile she used for her customers' formal events she happened to be on the committee of and school events. "Caroline, you, of all people, must know why I am here." Her tone said, "I'm local and reasonable. You are the one who is in the wrong." And that explained why she needed a rocket launcher.

Mrs. Lilien turned to the other townspeople. Letting out her fake laugh like anything was funny about bringing weapons to a place full of kids; she returned her gaze to Caroline. "Your little secret is out, dear." A half-size curled at the corner of her mouth as if she were telling Caroline that she'd figured out Caroline's secret ingredient for her Christmas cookies." "We all know what kind of filth you harbor behind your walls. Witches. Wolves. Vampires. You should be ashamed of yourself. To think that my Dana ever had to play your..." Mrs. Lilien shook her head in dismay. "Well, no more. We will not be having this kind of thing in our town."

Mrs. Lilien turned and hoisted the launcher. "We're going to remove them and allow Silas to rid us of your garbage before you pollute the rest of the town." Her finger went to press the launcher's trigger. Before she could, Caroline tapped her on the shoulder. "What now? I believe I made it perfectly clear I'm busy -" She turned to face Caroline who did not feel one bit of guilt when she punched the woman in the face. Catching the launcher in her arms, she set it down and pushed it behind her with her foot as she turned to face the rest of the blood-thristy crowd.

Allowing her own blood-thirst to rise, Caroline stared at her fellow townspeople. "Anyone else want to come after my kids?" In answer, the mob moved closer to her and she let out a snarl, her fangs appearing. "Let's dance, shall we?" Stepping forward, she allowed her fists and feet to fly connecting with person after person. She would not kill these people. They had no more control over their actions than she had in her own bathroom when Silas took the wheel.

The dance paused at the sound of a bullet flying in the air made it to her ears. Whirling on her heel to see the bullet sail toward Dorian Williams, Caroline opened her mouth to scream. Before she could make a sound the bullet stopped in mid-air. Emma Tig stood feet away from Dorian, her arms extended, a look of concentration on her face. The bullet dropped to the ground and Dorian groaned in relief, and so did Caroline.

Davina Claire came out the doors. Extending both her arms, she said: _"Subsisto!"_ making the mob stop in its tracks.

Caroline did not have time to blink before she found herself being sped into the school by Kol Mikaelson. "Can't have my favorite sister-in-law being staked, now, can I?" He quipped with a grin.

Emma, Dorian and Davina came in before Caroline could respond. "That will hold the mob. But it won't hold Silas," Davina warned Caroline with a dark look, eyes moving back to the window.

Again, Caroline was not given a chance to answer. "Mommy!" sounded from the stairs and Caroline turned to find Josie and Lizzie running toward her.

"Where's Hope?" Josie asked, grasping Caroline's right leg while Lizzie gripped the left.

"With her dad." Caroline said, kissing their heads as Alaric came down to join them. He looked like he never went back to sleep after Caroline's earlier visit.

"Girls," Alaric said, "Why don't you go play while I talk to mommy?"

"Okay!" Linking hands, they ran off.

"What the hell is going on?" Alaric demanded.

"Silas is here. I'll explain everything. But we need to get the girls and go." Caroline retorted, eyes on the window. She could see Vera Lilien waking from her nap. If she tried the rocket launcher, again, she might blow herself and the entirety of the townspeople up. And Caroline did not envision Kol lifting a finger to stop that. She would have to count in Emma and Dorian to execute a plan to stop that horror show because she had to rescue her kids.

"Go? Go where?" Alaric startled her out of her thoughts.

Caroline shook her head. "Just trust me." Ric nodded. And Caroline hoped things were going better with Stefan and Freya.

A key sounded in the lock and Stefan turned his head to find Klaus speeding to the open door. The Original's hand shot out and gripped the person who had just come in by the neck.

"Get off me, you big, hybrid freak!" Damon choked out, his icy eyes wide and his fingers digging uselessly into Klaus' hand.

Klaus smirked with a look of anger on his face until he went flying into the wall opposite the door. Stefan sighed internally. There were only so many excuses for interior damage to a house he could come up with...

Bonnie came in the house, with Elena and Enzo right behind her. "Thanks for the assist, Bon Bon," Damon grunted as Elena helped him to sit down in a comfy chair.

Bonnie's gaze stayed on Klaus. "Play nice," she warned him. "I do not have the patience and I would hate to tell Caroline about how I had to send her husband to a Prison World."

"How do we know none of you is Silas?" Klaus snarled, picking himself up and stalking toward Bonnie.

"Back off, mate." Enzo moved in front of Bonnie.

"This is between me and the witch. Unless you would like to lose your head, I suggest -"

With a wave of her hand, Bonnie eased Enzo out of the way. "Have it your way, Klaus." She opened her mouth to chant when a newcomer interrupted her punishment.

"Daddy!" Mike's voice caused everyone to stop. He came downstairs, rubbing his eyes and still wore his Batman PJs. "Why's Mommy on the floor?" He made his way over to his mother's side and stared at his father.

"Dad?" Fae came down next. She'd dressed for school, her hair loose down her back because Freya was not there to braid her hair. She looked curiously at the people gathered in the living room before walking over to stand at her little brother's side. "What's wrong with Mom?" She looked at Stefan for the answer and Stefan felt the urge to do some very Klaus-like things to his doppelganger.

Inhaling, Stefan looked at Freya. Them he looked at his kids. "You guys know that Mom is a very powerful witch, and sometimes she tries to help people, to save them from people who want to hurt them?"

"Yes." Fae nodded. "Did someone put her under a sleep spell. Like Aunt Elena?"

"Sort of -" Stefan began.

Fae smiled. "Then all you have to do is kiss her. 'Cause you're her prince. And that's how Uncle Damon fixed Aunt Elena." She shot Damon a big grin. Obviously, Caroline had gotten carried away with the fairy tale version of their stories.

"Kissing? Gross!" Mike stuck his tongue out and wrinkled his nose. Stefan would be amused if not for the gravity of the situation.

"It's not that simple, Faith," Hope came downstairs to join them. Klaus had put her to bed in the guest room, but she must have wakened thanks to all of the chaos downstairs. Stefan pitied the little girl. She looked so very somber when she should be at school, or playing with her friends, not dealing with the adults' drama, although she had played a significant part in this new chapter of their tale.

"Silas did this to your mom," Hope intoned. "And it will take a lot more than True Love's Kiss to make her better."

Fae's eyes rounded and she looked at the adults, sucking at her lower lip before hissing at her cousin: "They're NOT supposed to know. Silas is a present for Daddy!"

"Trust me, kiddo, Silas is a present for no one. Unless you like to gift venomous psychopaths," Damon countered. Fae stared at him and Stefan groaned internally.

"Damon! Mate!" Elena, Bonnie, and Enzo cried.

Klaus cut in. "It does her little good to lie." Striding over, Klaus knelt down on one knee and placed a hand on Fae's shoulder. "Fae, sweetheart, we know you didn't mean to hurt anyone, but Silas lied to you. He is a monster. And we have to stop him, darling."

Bonnie came to stand beside Klaus. "You didn't know better, Fae. I didn't either when I played a part in releasing him the first time. He played us. But you will help to make things right."

Fae looked horrified. "Daddy" she cried, turning wide eyes on her father.

Lifting his free hand, Stefan cupped his little girl's cheek. "We have all made mistakes, baby. But we can make this right." He nodded and Fae nodded back. Squeezing her small hand, he continued. "You remember what a head-dive is, huh?" Fae nodded and Mike glanced up, looking less certain. "Dad's going to do that now, with Mom. 'Kay?" Fae wiped her face of tears and blew out her cheeks before nodding.

Stefan looked to his big brother. "Damon, can you and Elena take the kids?"

"Sure." Damon came to join them and Klaus and Bonnie moved for Damon to take Fae and Mike by the shoulders. "Come on, guys. I'm going to make you breakfast. With funny, vampire-face pancakes Aunt Bonnie loves."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes and sneered at Damon.

As Damon tried to turn Mike and Fae towards the kitchen, the little boy panicked and broke away. He ran to Stefan, wrapping his small arms around his father's neck. "No! No, Daddy! Please! I want to stay here, with you, and Mommy!" He broke into sobs.

"Mike, Uncle Damon will put chocolate chips in the pancakes. And give you extra bacon. And orange slice smiles. The ones that always make you laugh. But you have to come with us." Fae coaxed, holding out a hand to her brother.

"Lots of chips!" Mike cried, hiccupping and easing away from Stefan.

"Lots and lots!" Damon added, waving a hand and Mike came running to him. "Yo, Hope, you want to get in on this?"

Hope looked to Klaus who nodded. Hope took Elena's hand and the group of two adults and three scarred-for-life children headed for the kitchen.

Klaus knelt across from Stefan. "Good luck, mate," he said, placing a hand on Fan's shoulder and squeezing it.

"If I don't come out -" Stefan began.

"We'll come in," Enzo called. "That's what mates do." He sat down on the couch and took Bonnie's hand. She watched Stefan with an intense look.

Stefan looked to Klaus. "He's right," Klaus said. Stefan inhaled before lying down beside his wife and closed his eyes. He had no idea what to expect but he had to get Freya back and he would risk certain death for her or walk through the gates of hell to get her back.

As he laid beside his love, everything else fell away as he held her hand and slipped into her mind...

Opening his eyes, Stefan's first instinct was to panic. Dark blue water surrounded him on all sides. He gasped, his head turning upward. He felt relieved to see that a tiny bit of light from the sun shown down. At least he wasn't trapped in a locker this time. However, he should have expected that Silas' mind-games would involve drowning.

Silas seemed to have felt a special kind of thrilled knowing that Stefan laid at the bottom of the Mystic Falls quarry, drowning over and over again, for months.

Although years had passed, Stefan still found himself waking up in the middle of night, pushing at the sides of a metal locker. He would wake to find Freya watching him.

Forcing down the desire to swim to the surface, Stefan began to search the water for signs of his wife. He listened closely before hearing s soft humming. He'd know that sound at the bottom of a volcano. Freya used to hum the same Viking lullaby to their children when they were babies. Swimming toward the source of the noise, Stefan found an image that gave him pause.

Freya bobbed in the water. Her arms cradled an unfamiliar child. And at her side was her dead lover, Mathias. Stefan had only seen the man once. Freya had been having a Dahlia-induced nightmare and Stefan had placed his hand on her arm. There she stood in a snowed covered clearing with Mathias, still pregnant with their child. That must be what was keeping her here, Silas making Freya believe that her child and lover were still alive, somewhere.

Mathias bobbed, his arms around Freya, who looked so content; it broke Stefan's heart, because he knew what he must do.

"Freya!" Stefan called.

Freya continued to hum to her sleeping baby.

"Freya!" Stefan tried, again.

Freya did not seem to hear Stefan, but Mathias did. The dead man's eyes narrowed. "You should not be here," he intoned.

"And you are not real," Stefan said.

"I am real to her. That is all that matters. Our child is real to her. She will stay here and be happy. With us. Leave. And do not enter again!"

"Freya!" Stefan swam toward his wife. But Mathias let her go, and moved to block Stefan's path.

Stefan's fangs came out. "Get out of my way!"

Mathias grinned. "Foolish vampire." He removed a piece of wood from behind his back. "This is the remedy for you."

Both Stefan and Mathias moved closer. Stefan raised his fist at the same moment that Mathias moved to drive the stake into Stefan's heart. For a split second, Stefan wondered if he could die in Freya's mind.

Stefan did not have to find out the answer because a woman's commanding voice shouted: "STOP!" The sound of Freya's voice caused both dead men to freeze mid-action. "Stefan, what are you doing here?" Her confused expression made Stefan's heart clench. "Mathias, take the baby," she said. eyes never leaving Stefan as she held out her child.

Mathias took the child, but protested, "Freya -"

"I need to talk to Stefan." Her words did not allow for an argument. Freya swam to Stefan and stopped a foot from him. "You shouldn't be here." Her soft tone making it seem as if he'd invaded her home.

Stefan bridged the gap between them. "Freya, you shouldn't be here, either." He stared into her eyes, hoping to see some awareness dawning on her. "The kids need you. Come back. Please!" He thought he saw something spark within her at the mention of the children.

"Oh, Stefan." Freya pressed a hand to his cheek. Turning her head to the side, she continued, "They have you. And you are so good to them. They'll be safe and happy, without me."

"I need you," Stefan choked out. "I love you. I can't do this without you." Becoming desperate, Stefan attempted Fae's suggestion and placed his hands on his wife's face, bringing their lips together. He felt her lips spread and her hands went to his sides, tugging him closer.

After a long moment, Freya eased back, staring into Stefan's eyes. "Hi," she murmured.

"Hi yourself," Stefan let out a happy laugh. He could see his wife looking back at him. Now, all they had to do was get the hell out of here.

Freya opened her mouth to speak when the phantom baby let out a wail, followed by Mathias. "Freya, our child needs his mother."

Turning back to Mathias, Freya began to swim to them. Stefan grabbed her wrist. "Freya?" His one word filled with uncertainty.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. But they only have me to look after them. And I can't lose them. Not again." Freya drifted out of his grip and Stefan felt himself drifting upward, toward the light.

"Noooooo!" Stefan shouted, trying to fight his way back to her. But it was too late...

Eyes opening, Stefan found tears running down his cheeks. "Freya?"

"Where is she?" an irritable voice that could belong only to Klaus cried out. Stefan found that Klaus was staring at his sister who had not awakened. And never would.

Stefan shook his head. "She's not coming back," he muttered. Getting up, he strode to his front door and jerked it open. Making is way through the sunshine, he had one plan now: Find Silas. Kill Silas. In the most painful manner he could imagine.

Getting as far as the driveway Stefan found a powerful hand clamping down on his shoulder. "Where do you think you're going, Salvatore?" Klaus' voice demanded.

Whirling on his heel, Stefan scoffed. "I'm going to kill a doppelganger. I know, that's more your thing, but you'll just have to take on the next one that comes to town."

"You'll die," Klaus stated.

Stefan shrugged. "She's worth it." He turned to leave when Klaus sped in front of him. "Oh, come on! You need me to flip my switch. Want your old pal, The Rippah, back? Even he's not capable of what I'm going to do to Silas!"

"Your daughter, and your son, need you to bring their mother back!" Klaus snarled. He pointed at the house. "As a man who spent a lifetime hurting those I loved, trying to protect them-take it from me-if you leave them now: They will not forgive you!"

Klaus inhaled. "Now, go in there and do what you must to bring my sister home."

"Shaking his head, Stefan could not look at Klaus. "She's lost in a fantasy world where Mathias and her child are still alive."

Klaus froze for a second. Them his eyes darkened. "Come with me." Making it clear he was not asking, Klaus threw an arm around Stefan's shoulders. They went back inside the house and Klaus turned to Bonnie and Enzo. "Do not let this one out of your sight." He pointed at Stefan.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie called.

Klaus did not reply. Instead, he stalked out of the room, and minutes later, he returned with his niece and nephew. "Show her why she must return," he ordered Stefan, positioning the children near their mother. Mike laid down on his side, nestling into his mother with his eyes closed. Fae laid down on her other side, pressing her nose into her mother's neck. Stefan laid down and wrapped his arms around his family and closed his eyes. He had to try, for them.

Opening his eyes, Stefan found Fae staring around in wonder. "Is Mommy a mermaid, now?" Mike asked, bobbing and waving his legs like a fin.

"No." Stefan shook his head. "Come with me." He took their hands and swam to the last place he had seen his wife.

"Mommy!" Mike cried, his eyes lighting up. Then he frowned. "Why does she have a baby?"

Freya's head went up. "Mikael? Faith?" She looked from her children to her husband. "Stefan, what have you done?" They had agreed to no head-dives until the kids were teens, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

"They need you, too. "Stefan let go of the children's hands and they swam to their mother.

Mathias and the baby dissolved as Freya closed her arms around her children. "Come home, Mom! Please!" Fae begged. "I'm so, so, so sorry! I will never, ever bring someone back from the dead, again!"

"Fae. My baby girl," Freya leaned down to press a kiss to Faith's forehead. "Of course, I will."

Upon opening his eyes, Stefan became aware of a pair of soft lips on his. "Ugh! They're kissing!" Mike's voice cried in the background.

"Told you so!" Fae giggled. "It breaks the spell."

A loud cough made Stefan and Freya separate. "As lovely as this little reunion is, we still have a villain to end." Klaus eyed them. "Now, it is time for my plan."

"Which is..." Bonnie shot back.

Klaus smirked and Stefan felt like he would not enjoy this part.

Speeding down the empty streets of Mystic Falls, Klaus observed what Caroline had texted him-while Stefan deep-sea dived for his wife-the townsfolk were not in the way, for once.

"In spite of what you might think, I'm not in favor of losing my head, you bloody lunatic!" Enzo cried from the passenger side, one hand out the window, gripping the roof of the car. The younger vampire gritted his teeth, shooting Klaus a glare that most vamps would lose much for doing so.

Klaus took a sharp turn. "I'll give Bonnie your regrets."

Enzo rolled his eyes. Think I'm expendable, don't you. Shows what you know about Bonnie's temper." Shaking his head, he stared around. "Where the bloody hell are you taking us, anyhow?"

Klaus had neglected to give out a few, key details of his plan. One could never be too careful. "A place I've heard you're quite familiar with... The Armory."

"No!" Enzo shook his head frantically. "No! No! Nothing good has ever slithered out of that hole. Trust me."

"Exactly," Klaus smiled.

"Perks of being with a psychic, my arse," Enzo grumbled, darkly.

Smirking, Klaus glanced at his companion. "Anticipation of one's every desire?"

Scoffing, Enzo shook his head. "I'm not bonding with you today, Klaus. Perhaps some other time we can have a pint when a madman bent on the destruction of everyone we love is not roaming about."

Klaus grinned, glancing out his window. "Oh don't be silly. Wouldn't think of trying to bond with you, given your taste in mates. Besides, I got the other brother."

With a sigh, Enzo looked to Klaus. "What is it that you're after at The Armory? A cache of weapons that will destroy a millennia old witches who refuse to stay dead-because I've dealt with Silas before and he'll happily make a deal with anyone to find a new ticket back to our side of things. Feels like we can't be rid of him."

"I'm not after a what, so much as a whom," Klaus replied, concentrating on the road ahead. They were almost within reach.

"Well, if you're looking for a crazed siren, heard they're all out. 'Sides, you'd have yet another problem on your hands. They're all about the mind control. And learning about their eating habits put you off of steak for months." Enzo stopped talking as Klaus pulled over and got out of the car. Klaus did not wait for the other vampire. He marched to the front door and swung it open.

Caroline came running to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Hello, love," he greeted her with a smile.

"Do you mind telling me what the bloody hell we're all doing here, sitting about, waiting for bloody Silas to come and pick us off, one by bloody one?" Rebekah demanded, coming to stand beside Caroline with her hands on her hips. As par usual, his sister's legendary temper was in play.

Before Klaus could indulge his sister, Hayley called out, "We're here!" She came in behind Enzo, with Elijah right behind her.

"Good. You're all here." Klaus said, looking around the room at the Saltzman twins and their father, Marcel with Charlie held close, Freya and Stefan, their children and Klaus' own daughter, Hope.

"Sorry for neglecting to inform all of you of the details of this, our last act -" Klaus began.

"What act? Nik, have you gone daft?" Rebekah cried.

"We are the first front against Silas. There are others waiting elsewhere, in case he gets past us which I suspect he will -"

"NIK!"

"Children, on my cue: Run!" Klaus ordered.

"You think he's coming here, you fool! And you placed our children in his path!" Rebekah shouted.

"It's called: Bait for a reason, Bekah." Klaus turned from his sister. "It shouldn't be long now."

"NIK!" Rebekah growled, "So help me -"

"He's here!" Hope cried at the same time that the doors blew open.

Silas' eyes went to the girls. "Ah, look, one-stop shopping. And they say nothing is convenient anymore. Let's see, all of my ingredients for the spell are here. Little girls who brought me back make such good sacrifices to keep that eternal life flowing. And they also give me glowing skin."

_"Confuto!"_ Freya commanded, closing her hand into a fist.

Silas' held up his hand, deflecting her spell and his gaze landed on Freya. "Looks like someone wants another taste of life down under." Staring at Freya, his head cocked to the side, his eyes darkened and a smile appeared on his face.

Freya's body started to drop when Stefan caught her.

Hayley and Elijah moved to attack Silas. The Witch lifted his hands and they dropped to their knees, their hearts being jerked out their chests before they fell to the floor.

"Mom!" Hope screamed. Klaus did have a chance to earn his child that it was an illusion.

"Get back!" Klaus thundered.

Caroline moved behind a glass case and popped back up with a rocket launcher. Looked like she had picked up a toy. "Say 'Hello' to my little friend!" she called to Silas.

"RUN!" Klaus bellowed.

"Follow me," Alaric called, enacting the next phase of the plan that Klaus had given Caroline by letting her into his mind before she went to the school. Thankfully the hunter did not argue with the mother of his children. Klaus knew, Alaric did not trust him. Might never trust him completely, but today was not like many of their days.

"Not so fast." Silas interrupted Klaus' train of thought. Holding up a hand, he called out, "To me!" Hope went flying toward him. Klaus watched in horror but felt a pang of pride when Hope grabbed Josie and Lizzie on her way.

"NO!" Caroline screamed, a look of terror on her face. Klaus could not speak up or even fully articulate what he thought mentally. He could watch.

"Yes!" Silas grinned, until Lizzie and Josie grabbed his legs and siphoned him. He howled in pain and kicked them away. "Get off!" He tried to keep ahold of Hope but Klaus'daughter kicked him in the shin and ran toward Alaric who shooed the girls ahead of him. The others were right behind the girls, leaving Silas, Klaus, Caroline, and Caroline's new friend, the exploding device.

Caroline looked at Klaus. She mouthed "I love you," before hitting the trigger.

Pacing back and forth, Freya waited for Nikaus and Caroline to arrive at the boarding school. Everyone else had used the tunnels to get to the school and only a couple of yards in; they heard an explosion. Stefan had forced Freya to keep going.

The humans, who were under Silas' influence, were still at the gates. That meant he was not deaf, and still had to be dealt with.

Finally, someone came into the room.

Bonnie leapt up. Freya had almost forgotten that Enzo had stayed just outside the entrance to try to delay Silas if he got past Caroline and Klaus. "Enzo!" Bonne hopped into her lover's arms

"Thought a little destruction of a building could end me, did ya, love?" Enzo set Bonnie down and kissed her.

"Are Niklaus and Caroline..." Freya could not bring herself to ask the question as Enzo looked at her.

"Ask them yourself." Enzo nodded at something behind her.

Klaus half-carried Caroline who looked dazed and was covered in dust. "Mom!" The twins rushed to their mother's side.

"She's a bit weary for wear, but she'll be fine, with some extra rest and lots of hugs." Klaus patted the girls' heads.

"Brother," Freya greeted Klaus with a smile.

"Daddy!" Hope hopped off her mother's lap and ran to her dad. "Mom and Elijah are fine," she told him.

Klaus nodded. "It looks as if they are. Shall we finish off Silas now?" Klaus asked his child, looking toward the gate.

"They're coming!" Kol called. He moved to the door. "Are we ready?" Not waiting, he left with Bonnie and Enzo right behind him. Stefan, Elijah and Hayley joined them to create a welcoming commit for the unwelcome guests.

The door flew open seconds later and Silas entered. "Blowing me up? Nice try." He grinned at them. "Guess you'll have to find s new trick."

"With pleasure," Klaus said, and Freya held up her hands to hit Silas with her most potent magics. And found that she had no access.

"Do you remember your little friends, The Travelers?" Klaus inquired. "Funny lot, that. Well, they left this retched blood fountain that lives under the basement of the school. Any guesses as to what it does?" Klaus looked at Silas who glared back. "Oh, yes, it renders you magic-less. Pity that."

Klaus moved closer to Silas. "Here's another hint: When someone attempts to harm your child, a certain primal instinct comes in to play."

"So, what's the plan, Klaus, you're going to talk me to death?" Silas taunted.

"No," Klaus shook his head and then he looked to his left where Marcel had been moving closer and closer to Silas. Rearing back, Marcel punched Silas in the face.

Placing his hand to his mouth, Silas laughed. "Is that all you've got?"

"Not by a long shot." Alaric Saltzman loosed a bolt from his crossbow which landed in Silas' shoulder. The witch grunted but did not fall yet.

Caroline crossed the room with s fireplace poker and ran it through his middle. Now, Silas dropped to his knees, still laughing. "Give Katherine my regards," Caroline snarled, passing the poker to Klaus.

Klaus took the poker and swung it back and forth as Silas lifted his head to offer Klaus a bloodied grin. "Your big plan is to beat me to death? How disappointing?"

"Oh, it is much worse than that." Klaus swung the poker, knocking Silas onto his back and pulled out his phone, texting someone.

He held up a hand and waved for Freya. She came to stand beside him, taking his hand, she saw that Alaric should be in the basement.

"Good. Give me my magic back," Silas croaked. "So, I can kill all of you."

Freya shook her head. "I don't think that's how this story ends," she announced. "Take my hands," Freya called to the children who linked hands with her and each other. "Repeat after me: Take this one to the darkness. Let him know no peace. Let no light shine upon him. Never shall he walk again. Breathe again." The children chanted until a marble statue stood where the once terrifying witch had been.

"Ew! His eyes move!" Charlie cried with a shiver, moving to press her face into her dad's leg.

"That is going into the deepest hole on the planet," Caroline announced.

"Yes." Freya nodded. They would never see him again.

One Week Later:

"No one seems to recall what happened last week," Stefan announced, eyes on his laptop. He'd been reading the news when Freya came into the kitchen.

"Let me: The official report will be another gas leak?" Freya retorted, filling a picnic basket with sandwiches and assorted treats.

"Nope." Stefan shook his head, closing his laptop. "It appears that Vera Lilien's pharmacy gave out bad batches of the flu vaccine this year," he said, almost retaining a straight face.

Laughing, Freya shook her head. "Caroline's rivalry continues." She waited for Stefan to walk over to her. "I have some news of my own," she watched Stefan stare at her. "We're going to need to convert the guest room into a nursery."

"You're pregnant?" Stefan smiled.

"Yes. I found out for sure this morning." Freya leaned forward and kissed him. "I bet Mike will be so excited to be a big brother," she said as she handed him the basket. "Let's get this off to the school."

Sitting on the lawn of the boarding school, Freya took a bite of a strawberry and savored the taste. She was surrounded by her friends and family and could not be happier. Then a howl came from outside the gate.

Elena glanced over and peered at the gate. "Um. Do I need glasses or is that Mr. Sanders poodle?"

"The poodle Kol ran over last year?" Davina asked.

"I was late for work," Kol said with shrug.

You're always late for work," Klaus snapped.

"And no one is concerned about the rise of that poodle?" Caroline demanded.

Alaric sighed. "I heard there might be an adult necromancer running around town. I'm sure Elijah can hunt him down."

"Or the four amigos," Caroline groaned, shooting Klaus a look.

Damon and Enzo traded looks. It had become a thing for those two, Alaric and Klaus to go out for a drink and to come to someone's home at three in the morning, most likely, not their own.

"We're on the case!" Damon cried. "Come on, men, we have a dog to chase!"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Maybe the necromancer is single."

Freya grinned at Stefan and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they watched their kids. This was their kind of Happily Ever After.

_**The End**_

**Answer to guest review:**

**xobrandyxo12: Thank you for taking the time to write! I hope you enjoyed the ending as well! :)**

**Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing. :) **

**Be safe,**

**-J**


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